HAIRBear Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Evening CL!! hows thing?Was hoping some one could confirm that at the age of 19 and driving for 2 years i can drive to and around France? Merci x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 provided you hold a full UK licence, is 18 for a car and a motorcycle over 125cc and 15 for a motorcycle under 125cc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 You should also carry a high vis vest in the car , its actually law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 You must put a GB sticker on the back of your car too if you're planning on taking your own car.Most insurance companies will give you a limited number of days driving in Europe per year so be careful how many you've used if you're staying for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoopEd Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 You must put a GB sticker on the back of your car too if you're planning on taking your own car.Most insurance companies will give you a limited number of days driving in Europe per year so be careful how many you've used if you're staying for a long time.Or a GB or european part of the numberplate isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobG Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Or a GB or european part of the numberplate isn't it?YeahThe AA has a fairly comprehensive guide of what you need for compliance.http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/index.htmlUseful stuff in there, like the french requirement for the high vis, or the swiss requirement for lights on all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamD Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 just go there and enjoy it fella. Driving in France can be pretty intimidating at first as they are all a bit mad compared to here, and getting used to going to other way round roundabouts is a bit odd.just stick your documents in a folder, GB sticker on the back, hi vis on your parcel shelf and i can guarantee you won't get pulled. The gendarmes in Calais are more bothered about immigrants and what not.Oh and Calais is an absolute ****hole. Don't go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDGM Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Just remember this - in this country they drive on the wrong side of the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAIRBear Posted October 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 sweet! all good news there then! should be fun as ill be getting use to driving a van aswell! haha im going to stick a few pics up of the new dub soon.cheers for the replies, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbo Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 I did a 26 hour journey to the Alps in July and it was the most memorable thing i've ever done. Really intimidating at first but becomes second nature after a while (hours). Make sure you put your headlight deflector doodaas on though as they're pretty keen on them now, oh, and enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobG Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Oh and Calais is an absolute ****hole. Don't go there.So's Lille. It's what you'd call ... industrial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckythump Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 YeahThe AA has a fairly comprehensive guide of what you need for compliance.http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/index.htmlUseful stuff in there, like the french requirement for the high vis, or the swiss requirement for lights on all the time.I'm going to be reading this all evening. Some interesting bits in there:Belarus:- It is illegal to drive a dirty car.- All motorists who have held a driving licence for less than two years must not exceed 43 mph.- Nil percentage of alcohol allowed in driver's blood.Austria:- It is prohibited to drive with side lights.- The use of the horn is generally prohibited in Vienna and in the vicinity of hospitals.Serbia:- A person visibly under the influence of alcohol is not permitted to travel in a vehicle as a front seat passenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDGM Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 (edited) Driving in France is a piece of piss if you remember some golden rules.Roundabouts: work exactly the same as they do here, except there is virtually no lane discipline or indicating. A car on your off side (left of the car over there) will frequently cut across you to come off at the first exit. The trick I use is play their game and try to straighten the roundabout as much as possible.Junctions: although less prevalent, there are still situations where traffic coming onto your carriageway has priority out of the junction. The locals know this and will just pull out in front of you. To avoid mishaps and a toot, always look out for the yellow diamond with a line through it sign and never assume the road to right has a give way or stop line.Speeding: don't unless you have a wad of Euros to pay off a Gendarme there and then who will easily make your rectum five times wider if you don't. The maximum speed on some autoroutes has been dropped from 130kmh to 110kmh too.- All motorists who have held a driving licence for less than two years must not exceed 43 mph.- Nil percentage of alcohol allowed in driver's blood.- A person visibly under the influence of alcohol is not permitted to travel in a vehicle as a front seat passenger.Three things I'd welcome on UK roads if I'm honest. Edited October 12, 2010 by IDGM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Three things I'd welcome on UK roads if I'm honest.I'm with you on that one, there's nothing worse than having an irritating drunk in your passenger seat while you're trying to concentrate on driving!A zero tolerance rule on drinking would make the drink drive rules a lot easier to interpret too, at the moment too many people try to chance it and just have 1 or 2 drinks, when in some cases this is enough to put you over the limit and you lose your license. If you couldn't drink and drive at all it would be far easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamD Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 I'm with you on that one, there's nothing worse than having an irritating drunk in your passenger seat while you're trying to concentrate on driving!A zero tolerance rule on drinking would make the drink drive rules a lot easier to interpret too, at the moment too many people try to chance it and just have 1 or 2 drinks, when in some cases this is enough to put you over the limit and you lose your license. If you couldn't drink and drive at all it would be far easier.It will also criminalise otherwise law abiding people.I went out last night, had a pint in the pub, then drove away - under your ideas, I'd be banned. Was I driving like an idiot? No, I don't think I exceeded 2krpm. I was just having a normal night out with my mates.There is a drink drive limit for a reason, and IMO it's a perfectly sensible one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckythump Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Three things I'd welcome on UK roads if I'm honest.Agreed on the drunken passenger one! Not sure about capping road speed for inexperienced drivers, though, if only because I wouldn't fancy only being able to do 43mph on a dual carriageway. It doesn't strike me as a safe idea with the amount of impatient motorists about. But the amount of drivers going 60mph down single-track country roads purely because that's the limit... yikes!Another one that crops up in quite a few countries is compulsory dipped headlights at all times for motorcyclists. I do anyway, and I think most people that take riding seriously do too, but it would be great to see it be made mandatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Im sure some EU directive is coming out where cars after a certain date of manufacture have to always use side lights when the engine is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 It will also criminalise otherwise law abiding people.I went out last night, had a pint in the pub, then drove away - under your ideas, I'd be banned. Was I driving like an idiot? No, I don't think I exceeded 2krpm. I was just having a normal night out with my mates.There is a drink drive limit for a reason, and IMO it's a perfectly sensible one.Yes Liam, I see your point, but it'll only criminalise them if they choose to drink. In the same way as the smoking ban criminalises smokers, but only if they do it inside! You know what I mean, there's the kind of people who'll have 2, sometimes 3 pints (which should tip you over the limit) maybe even more but because they feel okay they get in the car and drive home. As I'm sure everyone knows different people have different tolerances for alcohol and 3 pints for one person may be fine but they next person will be way over the drink drive limit.It's scientifically proven that any amount of alcohol in your blood will affect your driving abilities.There's plenty of countries that have this rule and it works fine for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamD Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Basically, I can't be arsed to put this eloquently, so your point is **** and I'm right.Police clamp down big style on drink driving and it's something they take very seriously, so I'm quite happy to know that if someone does drink more than the limit, they'll stop them and punish appropriately. If I have one pint them jump in my car I don't expect to get banned.Scotty, this is why new Audis and whatnot have running lights don't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 What's wrong with the point I'm making and why do you think that you're right?Surely zero tolerance is far easier for everyone than having to guess if you're okay to drive?And yes the sidelights thing is why all the new Audi's have daytime running lights, it's meant to be mandatory on all new cars by 2015 I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamD Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Because on a nice Summer's day, I want to be able to go for a drive out with my friends, have a bit of daft crack and a pint, then drive back.Everyone knows the limit to a degree, and the drinks themselves tell you how many units are in them. Drink anymore at your own risk. Simple.We are a country that thrives on freedom (unless you're a tax paying white male)I don't want anymore **** laws ruining my free time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 I see your point but look at it differently.If they were to change the law, you either drink or drive not both. Could it be more simple?The list of scenarios where people can have their license taken away for the sake of a few milligrams of extra booze on their breath with the current laws are endless!Of course this'll never happen but I think it would make policing the roads a lot easier and scare people out of heavy/regular drink driving a lot more too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDGM Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 I think with zero limit, everyone knows what their limits are, irrespective of weight, sex, what they had to drink or eat, or their level of bravado.Can't stand the profusion of daylights on cars. Turned them off my sister in laws 500! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philplop Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 How long does alcohol stay in your blood though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonbrown Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 (edited) How long does alcohol stay in your blood though?Point! You hear people still getting done because the alcohol from the drinks they had the night before is still in their blood. And that one pint you have today could top it back up over the limit. Edited October 13, 2010 by gordonbrown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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